Romance Themes Challenge: Zhane and Karone
by Jewel Noxenet
Summary: An always growing, I hope, collection of stories written in response to the Ars Amatoria Ranger Romance Theme Challenge. Some will be of Zhane and Karone, others will be of Zhane and Astronema, since Karone and Astronema are the same person.
1. Youth

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own these characters, although I'm sure we all wish we did._

**Authors Note: **_Written for the Ranger Romance Theme Challenge at Ars Amatoria. I needed a break, a no-brainer if you will, from my other writings in progress. What a lovely break it was. Short, but lovely._

Youth is wasted on the young. So an old Earth saying goes. I wish that had been true for me. A few years have passed by since my time spent on the Terra Venture and my time as the Pink Lost Galaxy Ranger. While I made many friends there, KO-35 remained near and dear to my heart. Even more so, there was one man in particular whom I was longing to see again.

I feel a gentle pressure on my shoulder causing me to look up. Zhane. My hand rested on his, my thumb lightly brushing the back of his hand as I returned my gaze to the park across the street.

"You should come in soon, it's starting to get chilly out."

I suppress a giggle, his warm breath blowing on my ear as he speaks quietly, almost in a whisper. I smile and kiss him on the cheek, telling him that I'll be in soon. I want a few more minutes outside in the fresh air. Before returning back inside he adjusts the blanket, which I haphazardly threw over myself, to fit more snugly. Afraid I'll catch my death no doubt, I muse.

The laughter of children catches my attention, drawing it back to the newly built playground. I find myself feeling jealous of them. Jealous that they have something which I never did. Youth. No, not their youth. It's not their youth I'm jealous of, it's just them. Them and the memories they will have of their childhood. A childhood, something I never had. That was stolen away from me long ago when I was abducted by Darkonda. All those years of brainwashing which followed were what ultimately robbed me of my childhood, for it took away the one thing I had to hold onto. My memories. Those which existed were replaced with illusions of what had been, nothing but mere stories to mold me into their pawn. The lies which were placed in my head were what I lived by until that fateful day when Andros tore the locket from my neck in battle and discovered my true identity.

No matter what planet I'm on it seems that children are always in such a hurry to grow up. If only they would understand just how precious their youth was. I know that if I could turn back time, I would. I would be that little girl in Andros' picture frame again. I would reclaim my childhood and all that was lost from it. For now, until that day when I can take back what is rightfully mine comes, I will listen to the many stories told to me by my brother and my husband.

I hear the door shut, followed by footsteps on the porch.. "I know. I know. I'm getting up." I smile at the soft chuckle escaping Zhanes lips as he leans over to help me up.

The blanket falls to the floor as I stand, revealing the ever growing bump in my stomach. Yes, someday soon I will have memories of a childhood. I smile. Perhaps not of my own, but of one even more special. The memories I build with my husband and my child throughout their own childhood.. those will be something that can never be taken away. Youth will no longer be wasted on the young, instead it will bring new life, to an old one.


	2. Dependence

-1**Disclaimer:** _I do not own these characters, although I'm sure we all wish we did._

**Authors Note: **_Written for the Ranger Romance Theme Challenge at Ars Amatoria. _

This is so embarrassing, Karone thought to herself. She tried again but no alas it was no use, she was just going to be stuck there until Zhane returned home from picking some things up for her at the store. Why hadn't she listened to him and stayed in bed like he told her to? Her bladder. The twins had been playing their favorite game.. what was that Earth sport that Carlos had always gone on about? Oh yes, soccer, that was it. Their ball of choice however leaved something to be desired as it was mommys bladder. At least she had managed to make it to the bathroom alright, making it back to bed on the other hand was a completely different story.

Propping herself up on her elbows, Karone let out a huff of air in frustration when she could get now further. As usual, she would be needing her husbands help. She had been dependent on him ever since the fourth month of her pregnancy. At first it wasn't that bad, it was just little things that she had needed help with. Lifting heavy objects for example or reaching high places. Zhane didn't want her using a ladder for free of her falling backwards due to being so top heavy now, and becoming injured. Things of that nature, she had no problem with. Now at eight months, she couldn't even get out of bed without his help. Karone sighed. Even as the Princess of Darkness she had not needed to depend on anybody and she never really did. She had always been independent and had even fought the rangers by herself at times.

Karone grimaced as her elbows began to ache from holding herself up for so long. Finally giving in, she allowed herself to collapse back onto the floor. Making an attempt to sit up again, Karone started rocking back and forth gently, making little headway. After a few minutes of accomplishing nothing but tiring herself out she lay flat on the floor. As she lay there, she thought about how ridiculous she must look.

"Now I know what a turtle feels like." She mused to herself out loud. As embarrassed as she felt, Karone knew that one day she would indeed look back and laugh about it. Even as she lay there, it was beginning to seem pretty funny.

Arms loaded with bags of groceries, far more than they needed, Zhane fumbled with the latch on the door as he tried to get it open. Finally he managed to pop it up and pushed the door aside using one of his elbows. Once inside, he kicked his leg up, taking care not to send his foot through their door, and managed to successfully shut the door with his foot. As Zhane brought his foot down he felt himself starting sway slightly and attempted to regain his balance by hopping up and down on his other foot. Unfortunately his efforts were wasted as he soon found himself on the floor, food spilled out all over the floor and on him.

A sudden crash coming from the front of house perked Karones ears up. She strained to hear if there was more but only silence followed. Great. There's a robber in the house and I'm stuck on the floor like a beached whale. Karone was soon relieved however to hear cupboard doors sliding open with a faint whoosh, accompanied by the rustling of bags. Zhane, she breathed a sigh of relief. Finally.

"Zhane!" Karone called out, her voice slightly strained from the position she was in.

All sounds in coming from the kitchen in front of the house stopped. For a moment it seemed as if maybe she made a mistake. Soon after however, foot steps followed. Karone was amazed that she was able to identify Zhane, simply by the sound of his foot steps.. He always had walked in such a casual pace. Not so slow it was annoying, but not so fast you had to practically run to keep up with him, like her brother. Karone couldn't help but blush profusely as Zhane came into sight, his pace quickening as he saw her laying on the floor.

Wasting no time, Zhane kneeled down and put a hand under her back to first help her sit up. Once she was up, he had no problems helping her the rest of the way and gently led her to the living area, easing her down onto the couch.

"Are you alright, K-bear?" Zhane asked as he looked her over, making sure she wasn't injured in anyway.

Karone suppressed a giggle. Even K-bear, the shortened version of Karebear, coming out of Zhanes mouth just sounded so, strange. She wasn't sure why, she just never really pictured him using pet names for anybody. It could be weirder, it could be coming from her brother.

Finally she just smiled, holding a hand against his cheek lightly. "I'm fine, honey." She sighed and snuggled up to him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. I guess it's not so bad, Karone thought to herself. Being dependent.

Zhane kissed the top of her head as he ran his fingers through her hair idly. After a moment of silence, he asked one of his favorite questions. "What are you thinking about?"

Without hesitating Karone looked up with a smile, "I was just wondering… what would I ever do without you?" She replied, leaning up to kiss him.

When she pulled away, Zhane was grinning from ear to ear a mischievous twinkle in his eye. As he began to open his mouth to answer her question she held up a finger to his mouth. "Don't you even say it.."


End file.
